It's hard to get to and there's not much there when you do - which is part of what makes Selayar Island, off the coast of South Sulawesi, so very special.
There are no pubs, no discotheques, no pleasure yachts and no five-star hotels. Rather, Selayar Island, an unspoiled 80-kilometer-long slice of paradise in the Coral Triangle, is teeming with rainforest and laced with white sandy beaches.
Getting there requires an arduous nine-hour trip from Makassar, South Sulawesi, by road and ferry (or you can fly; see below). Its remoteness is just one of this tropical island's specialties.
Here are some more.
1. Underwater wonderland
The clear blue waters dotted with 21 small islands and atolls make for perfect snorkeling and diving opportunities, opening up a world of colorful corals, huge sponges, sea fans, turtles, dugongs, rays, tuna, parrot fish - the variety and proliferation of this underwater sea adventure are virtually unsurpassed in the world.
Taka Bonerate Fish
Selayar sits in the Flores Sea and is the gateway to Takabonerate National Sea Park, the third biggest atoll in the world, after the Marshall Islands and the Maldives. "Takabonerate" is a Bugis word meaning "coral pile up on the sand".
The stunning barrier reefs and fringing reefs allow for lengthy exploration, and for challenges too, with steep-walled drop-offs. Some divers claim the diving is more beautiful in Selayar than at Bunaken National Park in northern Sulawesi. Whereas the latter is well developed for tourists and enjoys worldwide promotions, Selayar's charm is that it is a gem of unspoiled beauty, pristine nature and clear waters - a secret find on planet Earth.
2. The Dong Son gong
Selayar is all about the sea. The island was once part of the ancient trading route to the Moluccas. Chinese, Philippine and Thai traders have been visiting for centuries and relics have been found on Selayar dating back to the 14th century. Housed in a museum in Benteng, the island's main town, is a 2,000-year-old Vietnamese Dong Son drum.
This "kettle drum", the oldest and biggest in the world, was made in the Bronze Age and brought to Selayar by mariners from China.
To view the drum you need a special key, which your tour guide can organize. The drum is actually a gong; when it's struck, it is said the sound can be heard for miles with perfect pitch and tone. It is the pride of Selayar.
"Have you seen the gong?" is a question you will be asked many times.
The people of Selayar are proud of their gong; they are also friendly and hospitable. If you happen to be a Westerner, you will be immensely popular (Selayar receives very few Western tourists). No matter where you go, before long you will gather a small group of people keen to converse and practice their English, and willing to answer all your questions. At one point I counted 25 people lined up to speak to my Australian husband (there were whispers going down the line that Mel Gibson had arrived, which caused much excitement).
3. Field of dreams
The main town of Benteng is a hub of prolific action: a bustling small town with colorful becak competing on small streets with motorbikes, cars and pole vendors making their way to the busy fishing market and to the pride of the town - the football field.
Everything, it seems, goes on around the football field, which doubles as a cultural foreshore piazza. The field is the site of the Annual Takabonerate Islands Expedition, held this year from Oct. 16 to 24. It culminated on the last day with the huge Grand Launching. I asked many people why the grand launching was at the end of the festival, but never did get a satisfactory explanation.
Part of the 2009 Takabonerate Islands Expedition was an International Fishing Competition, open to everyone; first prize was a brand new car. Another feature was the Underwater Exhibition, from Oct. 23 to 25, which featured 300 naval divers competing in technical dive techniques.
Every night, the field and piazza hosted cultural performances, including by dancers from the 23 regencies of Sulawesi. This was a spectacle of dance, story-telling and elaborate costumes, accompanied by traditional music and entertainment, which ran until 11 o'clock every night.
4. Sea gypsies
Only seven of the 21 islands of Takabonerate National Park are inhabited, home to members of the Bajau and Bugis ethnic groups.
The sea gypsies (Orang Bajau) of Sulawesi have roamed the seas for generations. They are a seafaring people who live by subsistence fishing practices using handmade boats, nets and spears, and primitive fishing tools. Their livelihood depends on the sea and trade. An interesting aspect of the Bajau people is their ability to hold their breath under water for an unusually long time. Local legend holds that the Bajau people have a greater lung capacity than other humans and that not so many years ago, many of them preferred to sleep in the water, rather than on land.
Most of the Bajau are now settled in stilted houses, with government-provided access to schooling, water and sanitation; however, many of these settlements have fallen into disrepair due to isolation and neglect. The Bajau are among the poorest of the ethnic groups living in Sulawesi and now must compete with foreign modern fishing fleets for their fish and trade.
The Bugis are a boat-building race, famed for their remarkable skills in crafting wooden sailing boats. They design and build their beautiful wooden vessels by hand and totally by memory, without a drafted plan.
5. Up in the air
There is, actually, an alternative to the nine-hour road/ferry trek - SMAC is an air charter service that reduces to the trip from Makassar to Selayar to 45 minutes. On boarding, each passenger is handed a pilot-like headset with huge earmuffs, which helps to soften the deafening sound of the noisy twin propeller plane. Internet references state that SMAC has "no scheduled services", so it's safe to say it's no sure thing - you have to book well in advance and even then there is no guarantee that they will hold your seat.
The Selayar airport strip sits between the main town of Benteng and a series of small stilted villages. The runway is part of the main road between villages and when a plane is due (twice a week at present), a red fire truck is sent hurtling out onto the "runway", siren wailing to alert all the motorbikes, cars and trucks that a plane is coming (not that the propeller plane could sneak up on them, as it is deafeningly loud). The real purpose of the shiny red fire truck's warning system is to clear the goats off the runway.
6. Sunsets
If you want a canopy of coconut palms, a pristine white sandy beach and a hammock to watch the sunset from, then head just 9 kilometers out of Benteng to a small dive resort run by Bernhard, a most gracious host and manager of Selayar Island Resort.
The resort is on Baloyia Beach and it's the only place you can get pizza and French fries, but don't let that fool you. Bernhard's culinary talents extend to a delightful array of Indonesian dishes also.
Although Bernhard is strongly German in character, personality and accent, his attitude is "Why serve German food to my guests. They don't come to Selayar for German food!"
He has spent many months in the kitchen training his local staff and has achieved a remarkable culinary result blending the best of the East with the best of the West.
Sitting back on a deck chair, with a sunset sangria cocktail in hand, enjoying the evening display of purples, oranges and reds splashed across the horizon as the sun sets is simply a sensational moment to be savored.
7. Serendipity
The dictionary description of "serendipity" is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something entirely unrelated. To me, the experience of Selayar is encapsulated in this beautiful word. The feeling you take away from this isolated, charming and remote place is something rich and warm-hearted; you leave also with lasting memories created from the friendships formed with the gentle and friendly people of Selayar.
FACT FILE
Getting there
Road/Ferry: Makassar to Selayar by rental car/bus and ferry combination (8-9 hours)
Air: SMAC (Sabang Merauke Air Charter) flies direct between Makassar and Selayar twice a week (Tuesday, Friday)
SMAC office in Selayar (0414) 21361 / 0813 5522 2282
Selayar Airport (0414) 270 0099/ 0852 4201 6932
It is highly recommended to make arrangements through the local tourism office.
Accommodation
Selayar Island Resort: Baloyia Beach, 9 km from Benteng. Bernhard, your German host, provides well-maintained dive equipment, two speedboats and three guides. Offers day tours and diving safaris.
Email: bernhard@selayarislandresort.com
Culture and Tourism Office of Selayar Regency has a listing of 12 hotels, guesthouses, cottages and homestays in Benteng. The friendly staff can answer any of your questions, arrange a tour guide, liaise with SMAC air, make arrangements on traditional wooden boats and can recommend restaurants. Most speak English.
Contact name: Pak Edison and Ibu Ningshi
Email: edisonede@yahoo.com
Address: Kantor Dinas Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata, Kabupaten Kepulauan Selayar, Jl. Jend. Sudirman No. 3 Benteng, Selayar, South Sulawesi
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